This week’s JCC State of Mind is written by Sherree Hall, Senior Director of Operations, and Chris Herman, Facility Manager

The Jewish holiday of Sukkot begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 16. Sukkot celebrates the harvest season and during this holiday, many Jewish people observe and celebrate by eating, relaxing and even sleeping outdoors in a sukkah – a temporary, hut-like dwelling structure. In the Torah, the Jewish people are commanded to observe Sukkot “for a seven-day period, you shall live in booths. Every resident among the Israelites shall live in booths, in order that your [ensuing] generations should know that I had the children of Israel live in booths when I took them out of the land of Egypt. I am the L‑rd, your G‑d.” (Leviticus 23:42–43)
In pre-modern times, Sukkot marked the crucial harvest season that determined survival through the winter. Today, while most of us aren’t farmers, Sukkot still offers a chance to reflect on our relationship with the environment, particularly how we produce, consume and waste food.

This Sukkot, the JCC is excited to share that we are initiating several action items in our efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle for a more sustainable relationship with the environment. The first of these efforts is underway through the launch of a composting program with our partner, Zero Waste Wrangler. Through this initiative, which has been implemented at our daily J Café lunch program with AgeWell at the JCC, we hope to compost up to 140 gallons of food waste to be repurposed and turned into soil.

We view environmental sustainability as a responsibility and commitment to the value of tikkun olam, repair the world. Our goal is to expand composting efforts across all our facilities. Thank you to the JCC’s Green Team, which is comprised of staff members from across many departments at the JCC who believe that embracing sustainability is no longer a choice; it is imperative in advancing the JCC’s mission of creating a better future for the community locally and globally. Providing sustainable programs, outreach and overall commitment to caring for the environment motivates us to work for a better tomorrow.

Happy Sukkot,

Sherree Hall & Chris Herman